Boston Celtics commentary: Kelly Olynyk picked right time for best game ever
If legends are made in Game 7s then Boston Celtics sharp shooting big man Kelly Olynyk has etched his name on the list of playoff legends.
That’s right. The man known for his man bun has earned a place next to the great John Havlicek in Boston Celtics history.
With his 26 points off the bench in Monday night’s game-clinching Game 7 victory over the Washington Wizards, the man from Gonzaga scored the most points off the bench since Havlicek.
According to ESPN, the Celtics legend tallied 26 points as a sub against the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals. Ironically, that was also the game in which “Havlicek stole the ball.”
In a way, Kelly Olynyk stole the series with his Game 7 performance. He came up with big plays in the paint and beyond the 3-point stripe giving the Boston Celtics the play off the bench they needed in the Game 7 showdown.
A former late lottery pick in 2013, Olynyk has always shown signs of what he did on Monday night. But, due to injury and inconsistency, he never really inserted himself as a key consistent contributor to the Celtics.
So, while the rest of the nation is surprised that the unlikely hero had it in him, Celtics fans always knew he had it in him. He really did pick the right time to have the best game of his life.
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The Kelly Olynyk the Celtics have been waiting for
The 7-foot sharp shooter is exactly what coach Brad Stevens desires when he is on his game. His ability to stretch the floor due to his shooting opens the lane for Isaiah Thomas to do his thing. It also allows Al Horford to play big down low when both are on the court together.
Hopefully, his Game 7 performance against the Wizards will inspire similar play from the big man in the next round against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Celtics will certainly need it if they hope to somehow, miraculously dethrone LeBron James and the defending NBA champions.
As a player who has drawn comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki, the Celtics could use a couple more of his Nowitzki-type performances to really push the Cavs. Or maybe, he could use his “dirty player” skills to get in the head and under the skin of Kevin Love to take him out of the series. The Celtics will need him to play big in any way possible.
While unlikely, or should I say improbable as it is, another 26-point performance would be nice. At least it would give the Cavaliers something to think about.
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